NUMBER OF APPLICANTS A RELIEF TO OFFICIALS

Interest in ambulance worker positions strong despite lower pay

The station temporarily had a fire engine and crew from late 2011 through mid-December. But that engine and crew moved back to the Kit Carson station Dec. 16 when a remodel of that station was completed.

The Del Dios Road station is closed until March, when all of the new employees will have completed training.

Councilman Ed Gallo said one reason why Escondido had so many applicants is the scarcity of quality jobs with pensions and benefits.

He also said Escondido is an appealing place for ambulance workers and firefighters because it has such new facilities. Five of the city’s seven stations were either built or significantly remodeled within the last five years, and the other two were modernized in the 1990s.

Lowry said another aspect making the entry-level jobs appealing was the city’s plan to hire firefighters from among its new ambulance workers.

“They’ll start out with relatively low pay, but they can still advance and have a career,” he said.